The WEC Adventure - 2005
A Criollo Story

The days are flying by... I had intended to spend yesterday writing about the WEC, trying to recap my observations and experience. But an improptu trip with Grace and Sheikha Madiya and Mercedes set things back another day. We spend the day travelling to Hatta, a beautiful place on the UAE/Oman border - with natural setting similar to Palm Springs - jagged rocky mountains shooting straight up, palm trees, life only where there is water. Outside of Hatta is one of Sheikh Mohammed's breeding stables - for both Thoroughbred and Arabian horses. Some of Madiya's younger horses came from this stable, and she has been wanting to visit the stable and talk to the staff and see the parents of her babies.

We spent the afternoon looking at the horses, talking about the breeding stock. It's an incredible facility - very remote, and a beautiful setting in the flat wadi - flood plain- at the base of the Hajar Mountains, a chain of mountains that runs from the tip of the gulf peninsula in Oman, bounded by the Straights of Hormuz, south to Yemen, on the Red Sea. The breeding farm actually straddles the UAE/Oman border. It's a perfect place to raise Arabians - through our 'Endurance' eyes, we all thought of the incredible opportunity to turn young stock out into the mountainous desert and develop the toughness and agility that an Endurance horse should have!

It was a nice day, lunch at the Hatta resort restaurant, a beautiful setting - quiet and peaceful. On the way back home, just at sunset, we drove through the small town of Al Lisali, and had the good luck to witness a pre-wedding ceremony. Fifty or so bedouin men, in a traditional dance cermony - two rows of closely packed white robed men, swaying to the music of traditional stringed instruments and drums, making motions in unison with their canes - and in the middle 5 men and a young boy doing different moves, together and individually - tossing their canes into the air, twirling them - beautiful combination of motion, music and rhythm. Mercedes and I jumped out at a distance to take photos, but then they invited us over to sit at the front to take pictures. It was very special. I was reluctant to leave. But the sun had set and we had to get back.

So - here's my next chapter - the story of the Argentine groom -

Some background:

The 'Creole' horse is the native horse of South America, descended from the horses of the original Spanish conquerors - the equivalent of our 'mustang'. In Argentina, this horse is called the Criollo, and along with the Guacho (the horsemen of the Pampas) has become one of Argentina's National treasures. Mercedes' grandfather,Juan Bautista Tapia, was involved in the development of the Criollo breed registry - ultimately and historically attributed to Dr. Emilio Solanet.

The following is an excerpt from 'The Argentine Criollo' by by Gérard Barré, translated and adapted by C. Ganné . Website

Solanet, Father of the Breed

In the beginning of the 20th century, one man, assisted by a few friends worked to develop the registry of the Criollo breed in Argentina : Dr. Emilio Solanet. The Argentine Rural Society adopted this breed standard the 28th of September, 1922. It was around 1910 that Dr. Solanet, professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture in Buenos Aires, brought together around 2000 specimens of the Pampa horse in his estancia, El Cardal. These horses came from the west of the Chubut province (Patagonia, Argentina).

Each animal exhibited the characteristics he was looking for. He carefully selected 15 mares that would become the breeding stock of the Argentine Criollo breed. Indeed, the doctor had a personal idea of the qualities neccessary to make a good working horse, and based his selection on the needs of rural workers. If Solanet didn't actually create the Criollo horse, he at least invented the breed standard, his lasting contribution to the breed.

In this manner, the Criollo breed was born, and the first registry was opened in 1918. The first official standard was established in 1922 by the Argentine Rural Society. At this time, Doctor Solanet raved about the power, frugality, endurance, intelligence and longevity of his Criollo horses. Soon a raging controversy developed, opposing fans and skeptics of this horse from the Pampa. To decide the issue, Solanet offered two of his horses to a Swiss school teacher who desired to make an intercontinental voyage from Buenos Aires to New York.

Aimé-Felix Tschiffely made Mancha and Gato famous in Argentina and wrote their names in the history books of the world. Mancha's name relates to his pinto color, mancha meaning spot in Spanish. Gato's name is short for gateado, a common color among Criollos. The enthusiasm created by these two horses, and the fact that they not only completed the journey without incident but also lived for more than 40 years, has made Argentines take Criollos seriously ever since. Many people then copied the doctor's example and began raising them in semi-liberty.

Today, the Criollo is widely represented all over South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and more) with only slightly differing breed characteristics. It is in Argentina that we find the Criollo closest to the standard defined by Solanet.

Mercedes is relatively new to Endurance (within the past decade) but has ridden horses all of her life. She was deeply involved with the Criollo breed - as a rider, a trainer, and a performer with La Republica - a privately owned estancia (managed by Mercedes' brother) and dedicated to preserving the Nation's heritage.

Ramon (Antonio) Ponces is a groom that works at La Republica. A guacho, a 'peon' by Argentine class standards. A small dark skinned man with strikingly black hair, a fine rider and horseman. When Mercedes became involved in Endurance, she did so in a big way, soon taking on the role of Ride Manager as well as rider and trainer. Still employed by La Republica, she organized an Endurance Ride at the Estancia. Antonio became involved. He had a tough little mare, Del Siete Na Paca, a perfect representative of the breed - great feet and legs, and endurance. One of the breeding registry requirements is that the horses pass a grueling Endurance Test.

(- another excerpt from 'The Argentine Criollo' by Gérard Barré -)

The Qualities of a Horse Built for Endurance

Multifaceted leisure horse, exceptionally sober and hardy, the Criollo also has a bright future in endurance competitions, as we can see in the famous marcha of Criollos organized each year in Argentina by the A.C.C.C. The competition takes its inspiration from life on an estancia. All horses participating in the contest must be present 30 days before the start. Without training or manipulation, strictly forbidden by the rules, they spend this time together in a pasture. The goal is to homogenize the physical condition of the animals; the contest aims at finding the horse with the best genetic disposition, not the best training.

Exceedingly difficult, the contest consists of covering an itinerary of 750 kilometers (470 miles) in 14 days, 53.5 km (33.5 miles) per day, without extra food or medicine. The horses feed only on the grass they encounter on the Pampa, and must carry 110 kilograms (240lbs)! Nutritional complements and drugs are forbidden. Each spring, around 20 horses take part in this adventure. The best horses contribute to the fame of the estancia that produced them.

With the assistance of Mercedes, Antonio his mare were able to achieve the unthinkable goal of participating in a World Endurance Championship. Antonio and his registered Criollo mare, Na Paca managed to attend some FEI rides over the past few years, and while never breaking any speed records, had a solid completion and performance record at the required CEI*** events. Antonio had no support from his employers, and there were no grooms for this groom, other than his family, but he was able to do what was required by the FEI and Argentine Federation, and with a sound and solid horse was a good selection choice for the team.

I still have the image of Antonio and Na Paca at the barns - Antonio with his bombachas (loose cotton riding pants), and cotton shoes - Alpargatas, his belt made of tooled leather and woven fabric of traditional gaucho design. Na Paca in her finely woven leather halter - a style and craftsmanship unique to the Argentine gaucho. It's a nice image, and a tender story.

Ok - next post is the ride wrap up !

Steph